How life has changed in Surrey Heath

Surrey Heath's population increased by about 5,800 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the most notable changes among the local population.

The population passed 86,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Surrey Heath increased by 7.3%, from just over 80,300 to 86,100.

The addition of about 5,800 people means this area's population increased at a similar rate to the overall population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Surrey Heath was home to, on average, 6.5 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across the South East

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the South East, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Surrey Heath

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Surrey Heath increased by three years, from 38 to 41 years.

This area had a slightly higher average age than the South East and remained slightly older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of about 2,200 people between the ages of 40 and 49 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just over 2,000.

About 17.0% of people in Surrey Heath are aged between 40 and 49 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Surrey Heath by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health fell in Surrey Heath, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas across England, except Barnsley.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

Every local authority area across the South East saw a fall in the proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad, as the regional average fell from 7.2% to 4.4%.

In 2011, just under 1 in 30 (3.2%) in Surrey Heath said their health was bad or very bad, compared with 5.3% in 2001. The percentage that perceived their health as good or very good increased from 76.7% to 86.8%.

England's largest increase in the proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad occurred in Wokingham (from 4.6% to 2.8%).

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Surrey Heath decreased by 2.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Surrey Heath, the South East and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Surrey Heath

The percentage of Surrey Heath residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 1.9% to 2.5% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage who reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities remained close to 6.8%, while the percentage of Surrey Heath residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 90.8%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 2.5% in 2001 to 3.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.1% to 3.8%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Surrey Heath

Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation in Surrey Heath, the largest percentage point increase was among those who said they had no religion, rising 10.6 points between 2001 and 2011. The census question about religion is voluntary, so varying response rates mean caution is needed when comparing figures between different areas or between censuses.

In 2011, 25.8% of respondents in Surrey Heath said they had no religion, up from 15.1% in 2001.

Across the South East, the percentage of respondents who described themselves as having no religion increased from 17.9% to 30.1%, while across England the percentage went from 15.7% to 26.5%.

Around 68.3% of respondents in Surrey Heath said they were Christian, down from 81.8% in 2001. About 2.0% said they were Muslim, up from 1.3% a decade prior.

There are many factors that can cause changes to the religious profile of an area, such as differing patterns of ageing or relocating for work or education. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population that said they had no religion in Surrey Heath increased by 11 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, South East and Surrey Heath by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Surrey Heath

In 2011, 6.3% of Surrey Heath residents said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, up from 2.5% in 2001. The 3.8 percentage point change was the largest increase among ethnic groups in this area.

Across the South East, the percentage of people from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from 2.6% to 5.0%, while across England the percentage went from 5.2% to 8.0%.

Around 90.2% of people in Surrey Heath said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, compared with 95.4% in 2001. About 1.9% said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), compared with 1.1% a decade prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from 0.4% to 1.0%.

There are many factors that can cause changes to the ethnic profile of an area, such as differing patterns of ageing or relocating for work or education. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups in Surrey Heath increased by 3.8 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Surrey Heath by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of privately rented homes increased in Surrey Heath, but at a slower rate than in Woking (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Surrey Heath).

In Surrey Heath, the proportion of private renting increased from 8.6% in 2001 to 12.1% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in nearby Woking increased from 9.4% to 15.7%.

Across the South East, the share of privately rented homes increased from 10.2% to 16.5%.

The rate of social housing in Surrey Heath remained close to 9.2%, while the rate of home ownership decreased from 80.8% to 76.8%.

Private renting in Surrey Heath increased by 3.6 percentage points

Percentage of households in Surrey Heath, the South East and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Surrey Heath working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 16.4% to 13.2% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over 1 in 40 (2.9%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 2.1% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 14.3% in 2001 to 11.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 13.0% to 10.1%.

Long hour working in Surrey Heath decreased by 3.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Surrey Heath, the South East and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Surrey Heath

The percentage of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased in Surrey Heath, but at a slower rate than across England.

In Surrey Heath, the proportion of single people increased from 25.1% in 2001 to 27.1% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion across England increased from 30.5% to 34.9%.

Across the South East, the share of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased from 28.5% to 32.1%.

The proportion of married people in Surrey Heath fell from 59.3% to 56.4%, while the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner increased from 9.0% to 10.2%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was lower than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in rate of unemployment

The percentage of Surrey Heath residents that were unemployed increased from 1.6% to 2.8% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just under 6 in 10 (57.8%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 59.5% in 2001. The percentage of Surrey Heath residents that were self-employed increased from 10.1% to 11.8%.

The proportion of unemployed people increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 2.3% in 2001 to 3.5% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.4% to 4.4%.

The rate of unemployment in Surrey Heath increased by 1.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Surrey Heath, the South East and England that said they were unemployed, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Surrey Heath with only adult children living with their parents increased from 9.7% to 10.6% between the last two censuses.

The percentage that had at least one dependent child remained close to 32.0%, while the percentage of households in Surrey Heath without children decreased from 58.3% to 57.2%.

The proportion of households with adult children living with their parents increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 8.8% in 2001 to 9.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.4% to 9.6%.

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was higher than across the South East

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Changing household dynamics

The percentage of households in Surrey Heath, which comprised a single parent, increased from 6.7% to 7.4% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just over 4 in 10 (43.5%) households had a married couple, compared with 47.2% in 2001. The percentage of households in Surrey Heath, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 7.8% to 9.1%.

The proportion of single-parent households increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 8.0% in 2001 to 9.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.5% to 10.7%.

The percentage of households with a single-parent was lower than across the South East

Percentage of households that had a single parent across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Surrey Heath residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.3% to 1.5% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage who reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 0.6%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 1.7% in 2001 to 2.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.1% to 2.4%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Surrey Heath remained close to 1.5%

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Surrey Heath by care, March 2001 and March 2011

↑ Back to the top

Area report data

Related links